


Not-Dates

by belowtheprecipice



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M, Rarepair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-31 19:44:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12139746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belowtheprecipice/pseuds/belowtheprecipice
Summary: Alternatively titled: Five Times Taako Lied About His Feelings for Brian, and One Time He Didn't





	Not-Dates

The first time Taako sees Brian, he is graciously welcoming the boys to his cave.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize the showboating Drow in front of Taako is the Black Spider— and thank the gods it doesn’t, because Taako isn’t too keen on calling himself one. Merle and Magnus snicker as the Black Spider introduces himself, though he insists that introductions aren’t needed. Taako wants out of the cave as quickly as possible, so he turns on the charm he’s always believed could get him out of any trouble. 

“Hi, I’m Taako. We’re just here for Gundren, you can do whatever—“ Taako begin, but he is quickly cut off.

“Oh, your voice is like a song,” the Black Spider interrupts, batting his eyelashes in Taako’s direction.

Well. He hadn’t been expecting that.

Next to Taako, Magnus and Merle barely stifle their laughter, and Taako takes note of that, just in case they ever run into another adversary who _flirts_ with one of them. But, Taako is never one to be out-charmed, and he casts Mage Hand to stroke the Black Spider’s cheek. Taako throws a smug look the Black Spider’s way as he does so, knowing that ‘smug’ ranks fairly high in his repertoire of ‘looks to stop a man’s beating heart’.

The Drow looks momentarily caught off guard by the spell, but then he relaxes into the hand, grinning at Taako from across the chamber. His teeth practically glow against his dusky skin, and Taako remembers the stories high elf mothers tell to their children about Drows.

_Pure evil. Monsters. Creatures born of darkness. Never to be trusted or associated with._

_Run. Run. Run!_

“This is a little forward,” Black Spider says, and his grin makes Taako wonder if he wants to skip to a fight or keep this little show going on for longer. Taako catches himself wondering the same thing. 

Oh. _This_ would be interesting. 

Of course, Black Spider— or Magic Brian, as Taako soon learns— proves to be a legitimate danger. However, the fight is still three against one, and Brian soon runs out of tricks. Taako almost feels regretful that their short time together is over— as it had been _months_ since he’d met someone interesting on the road. 

In the end, Taako deals the final blow. A magic missile, aimed directly at the bottom of the pit where Brian lay, calling out to his beloved and literal black spider Bryan about how _he’s dying_ but _he’s so proud of them_ for _solving his riddle_. Taako laughs the entire time, thinking that it would be the last time he’d ever hear such a strange and exotic accent or see such a lovely Drow. 

Taako, as he would soon learn upon arriving on a fake moon, shouldn’t be so quick to draw conclusions.

 

###

 

The second time they meet, Taako is stuffing his pockets full of other people’s riches in the cargo car on the Rockport Limited. Or, what he had previously thought was the cargo car on the Rockport Limited. _Whatever_. If he’s going to be stuck solving two murders, he’s not walking away empty-handed. He picks up an expensive-looking golden tiara and haphazardly shoves it into his bag, muttering that he deserves a major raise after this.

“Hello, darling,” a heavily accented voice chimes from inside the car. Taako jerks upright and finds himself staring at Magic Brian, who is serenely perched atop the vault. Quickly, Taako thinks back to the month before, trying to remember if maybe his Magic Missile had missed the mark and left Brian alive. He had walked away from that pit _so sure_ that it had been the end for Brian, and yet….

“Well, there’s a sight for sore eyes,” Taako says, a mischievous smile gracing his face. He becomes acutely aware that Magnus and Merle are outside the car and cannot hear what’s happening. 

“Yes, yes. I figured this would be a nice surprise. I admit, I expected a grander entrance,” Brian says, hopping down from the safe. His eyes reflect in the dim lighting, just like Taako’s, except his are red and Taako’s are blue. Taako notices that he isn’t wearing the same outfit from their previous encounter— instead opting for a casual tunic and pants. His hair is also tied back now, and Taako realizes that he wouldn’t have noticed it was Magic Brian if it hadn’t been for his distinct accent. He could have passed by on the streets and Taako wouldn’t have looked twice.

“How did you get in here?” Taako asks, picking up a large set of silverware and weighing it in his hand. He makes eye contact with Magic Brian who nods in approval.

“Oh, I just followed you in, cast an invisibility spell, and waited until we were alone,” Brian says, waving his hand. “Those other boys you travel with would have made it very hard to speak with you.” 

Taako eyes the door, knowing that Magnus and Merle could re-enter at any moment. _And then what?_

“Okay, next question, how are you alive?” Taako asks, looking closely at the Drow. He seems to be completely unharmed and unscarred. 

“You didn’t hit me hard enough. I suggest you try better next time,” Brian says. 

“What do you want?” Taako says, closing his bag, satisfied with what he’s taken.

Brian laughs sharply, throwing back his head and leaning against the vault. 

“So many questions! Didn’t you miss me at all?” Brian says once he’s done laughing. 

“Who says I have? I’m a very busy elf these days, hardly have any time to think about myself, much less about you,” Taako says. Both of those facts are lies, of course— Taako always makes time to think about himself, and occasionally the thought of Magic Brian, the Black Spider, crosses his mind. Brian doesn’t need to know that, though. 

What the Director had said about Brian— that he had been one of their own— hadn’t come as a complete surprise to Taako. Sure, he hadn’t expected the Bureau of Balance to exist in the first place, but after the initial shock of _the moon_ being fake, Taako figured it would be for the best if he just kept rolling with the punches.

He had caught himself wondering about Brian many times. How could one have turned against the Bureau? How dangerous was he? And, now, how in the fresh hell was he still alive?

“You wound me. I thought I would have left enough of an impression on you for you to spare me a thought,” Brian says. “Enough talk. I came to see you for a reason.”

“If this is over that whole Magic Missile business, then I’m not sorry, my man. You’re not getting an apology over that one,” Taako says, throwing up his hands. 

“No, dear. I just wanted to let you know I am alive and in one piece,” Brian says, proudly gesturing down his body. Taako tells himself to keep staring at Brian’s face instead of following his hand. 

“Would you like me to fix that?” Taako asks, and Brian grins, taking a step toward Taako. When there is no drawn umbrastaff, no defensive spells, no calls for backup, he takes another step, and then another, until he stands a foot away from Taako, who meets his gaze evenly, more curious than anything. 

“Darling, I would love to keep this going, really. But, it seems that you are, ah, occupied at the moment, and I should be letting you go,” Brian says. He tilts his head to the side, gauging Taako’s reaction, and Taako decides that the red tint of a Drow’s eyes is lovely, even if if it does send an instinctive note of fear down his spine. Taako keeps a brow raised and a smile on his face, deciding that his usual expression is the safest option. 

“How disappointing. Here I was thinking we’d have some alone time,” Taako sighs. “We have to stop meeting like this or else we’ll never get to know each other.” 

“Perhaps we will sometime soon,” Brian says.

“When should I pencil you in?” Taako asks, and Brian briefly reaches into his pocket.

“Take this,” Brian says, holding out something small in his hand. Taako, never one to consider that maybe this could cause him harm, reaches out before he can think his way around it. Brian drops a ring of black metal into his waiting hand, and Taako examines it carefully.

“Already giving me a ring? I’m flattered, but I was thinking we take things slow for a while,” Taako says, noting that the ring looks new and expensive. He pockets it, vowing to examine it more closely later, when there isn’t murder afoot. 

“I have no use for it anymore. Consider it a promise that we will meet again,” Brian says. 

“Next time, could we do this when I’m not working? I’ll admit that it’s been nice to see you, but I am _busy_ ,” Taako says, knowing that Merle and Magnus are probably getting impatient. Brian chuckles.

“I’ll think about it, but I think it is so much fun that your friends could walk through at any second and, ah, get us both in trouble,” Brian says, something in his gaze turning dangerous. It sends a quick thrill down Taako’s spine, and he instantly knows that he needs to spend some time soul searching to figure out _why_ he’s letting that look have an effect on him.

“Speaking of that: I think we should go now,” Taako says, and Brian winks. In a moment, he turns invisible and is completely gone.

As Taako turns to walk out of the car, a wind passes by, and he hears Brian say, “Until next time, dear.” 

Taako forces himself to look casual as he returns to Magnus, Merle, and Angus. The World’s Greatest Detective gives him an odd look before returning to the task at hand, and Taako isn’t sure if he’s more nervous about Angus discovering that he had spoken to a supposedly-dead adversary or that he currently carries stolen goods. 

“You were in there for a while, sir!” Angus comments.

“Well, all of this mystery solving got me really hot and bothered, so I just had to—“ Taako begins.

“You had to go and talk to Pan for guidance! Of course! Best thing to do!” Merle yells, clapping his hands together. He flashes a stern look at Taako and then pats Angus on the shoulder.“Let’s get back to it!”

And that ends it. 

Later, after the murder is solved and the relic is reclaimed, there is a trip to Fantasy Costco, and when everyone seems to be finished with their selling and spending, Taako produces the ring Brian gave him on the Express and hands it to Garfield to examine. Taako knows he promised to do it himself, but all he could figure out from it was that it was just a plain, black, metal ring. 

“Hmmm, interesting! I sold this ring a few months ago to a certain Seeker! Where did you find this?” Garfield says, holding the ring over the counter. 

“Same place I found the silverware,” Taako says. 

 

###

 

For the next few weeks, Taako expects Brian to appear around every corner, behind every door. He knows, logically, that there’s no way Brian would be able to walk into the Bureau of Balance without being taken down by a hundred Regulators. Still, every time Taako steps into his kitchen (because it is _his_ kitchen, even if Magnus and Merle occasionally use it), he braces himself for the sight of Brian, possibly sipping wine stolen out of the cabinet. 

Does Taako fear or anticipate that possibility? He can’t tell. 

But, just as he logically knows, Brian does not appear. Taako occasionally fiddles with the ring and wonders if he could have sold it back to Garfield. It carries the promise of another meeting, and Taako refuses to believe why he looks forward to to it. He keeps the ring on his nightstand, next to scrolls and cookbooks, but just far enough out of reach that anyone who notices it would assume it had just been left there without second thought. 

All of Taako’s waiting is for nothing, though, because the third time he sees Brian, he’s in a sidecar speeding through wastelands outside of Goldcliff. Klarg speeds through the dirt, trying to return Taako to Hurley’s battlewagon. 

“Hey, uh, Klarg? Could you speed it up?” Taako asks, aiming his umbrastaff ahead, trying to find a target so he can at least be _helpful_. 

“This is as fast as I can go without ruining the engines,” Klarg says, and Taako curses. He makes a difference in this race, and he can’t do anything from so far away. Even if Klarg catches up, it’ll take too long. 

“Yoo-hoo!” a voice cuts through the noise. Taako nearly gives himself whiplash as he turns to look over his right shoulder. A sleek, black motorcycle emerges from the dust. Taako notes the painted spider on the front, and then the rider. Taako knows it’s Brian before he sees the spider mask or the grin from just below. 

In spite of the chaos, Taako’s heart stops.

“Perhaps I could be of some assistance?” Brian asks, and Taako stands up on the sidecar. 

“Klarg, do me a favor and stay in the race. When this all wraps up, just go. Don’t get caught again,” Taako says, waiting for Brian to pull up further so he can time this jump correctly. Klarg grunts in a agreement, and Brian gets close enough for Taako to launch himself over, aiming himself correctly and standing behind Brian now. 

“Sit down, dear. Make yourself comfortable,” Brian advises, but Taako ignores him, adjusting his stance for better balance. There’s probably a spell he could cast to steady himself, but fuck that. Fuck thinking about anything except getting back to Hurley’s battlewagon. 

“At least put on a safety harness, please!” Brian pleads, and when Taako is about to yell back that the stupid crickets _made_ him take it off, he didn’t want to so could Brian just focus on driving— Brian takes a hand off the bike and gestures it in the air. A harness appears in his palm and he hands it back to Taako, who quickly slips it on.

“Let’s go,” Taako practically growls, and Brian speeds up, rapidly closing in on Hurley’s battlewagon. With a safety harness and a balanced stance, Taako begins firing out a Magic Missile at the Crickets. He misses, but not by much.

“Has your aim gotten better since Wave Echo Cave?” Brian asks, a hint of jest in his voice. Taako rolls his eyes, painfully aware that he’s throwing away his chance to speak with Brian again.

“Just keep driving, my man. There’s some important shit going on right now,” Taako says, aiming again. This time, he hits the mark and a Cricket flies away, his safety harness activating before he hits the ground.

“More important than me?” Brian asks.

“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Taako confirms.

They don’t speak again until Brian is riding next to the battlewagon. Merle rides Garyl just a few feet to the right, and Magnus extends a hand to help Taako off the motorcycle. Taako grips on tight and lets Magnus pull him up like he weighs nothing. 

“I’ll see you when this is all over, yes?” Brian calls up. Taako nearly breaks his neck to turn and look at the Drow as he so brazenly exposes his identity. The voice, the accent— they’re too distinct for Merle and Magnus not to immediately know who they belong to.

Taako stands next to Magnus, his braid whipping wildly in the wind, his mouth open. Brian just laughs and falls back, disappearing into the dust. 

“Taako… Taako, was that Magic Brian?” Magnus cautiously asks. In spite of the desert sun and leather jacket, Taako’s blood runs cold. 

“Magnus, I…” Taako attempts to explain, but he trails off. A hundred excuses comes to mind, each less convincing than the last. He’s sure that Magnus won’t give him a problem, much less _Merle_ , but the thought of the Director learning that Brian still runs unchecked, that her most trusted employees had failed at killing one simple Renegade Seeker, makes Taako more nervous than he’s been in a long time.

“Ha! No way! Nah, of course not,” Magnus laughs, returning to the race. Taako stands where he is for a moment, processing what just happened. He looks at Merle and he rides alongside on Garryl, and Merle isn’t even looking at the battlewagon.

And that’s when Taako remembers. He, Magnus, and Merle are just _that_ stupid sometimes. 

After the battle, after the racing, after Sloan and Hurley are together, after the Gaia Sash tempting Taako so well, Taako sees Brian standing at the edge of bystanders. Captain Captain Bane is rushing toward the boys, and Taako slips away, quickly, so that he can at least say something. He blinks away the burning in his eyes and skirts around the edge of the lake. 

Brian leans against his motorcycle, his spider mask pulled onto his forehead to protect his Drow skin from sunlight. His usual smile is gone, and Taako is unable to decipher his expression. 

“How did you find us?” Taako demands. Brian taps his hand on the bike.

“Is that the most important thing on your mind?” Brian asks. “I will admit that I could spot you in the race because of the lovely braid you keep.” Taako ignores the complement. 

“While I appreciate the help,” Taako says, “you can’t just show up in the middle of missions. You could have ruined this for us, and I’m sure you’d love that, but that can’t happen! So do me a fucking favor and stop showing up when it’s convenient for the plot. If you wanna talk, pick some time where people’s lives aren’t in danger!”

Brian looks past Taako, at the tree. 

Taako looks closely at Brian, at how carefully he’s covered himself up under the sun, at the odd gaze he’s fixed on the tree. Taako remembers that Brian left he left the Bureau because of the Phoenix Fire Gauntlet’s draw.

“Fine. I apologize for getting in your way,” Brian says. They stand silently for a moment, and Taako is painfully aware that every second he spends in front of Brian is another second that someone could realize who he was speaking to. 

“I still have the ring,” Taako says, and Brian refocuses on Taako. 

“One month from now. In Neverwinter. You’ll come, yes?” Brian asks, and Taako sees him reanimate before his eyes, slipping back to the Brian he’s come to expect.

“Yes,” Taako agrees, “but only to keep you from showing up during a mission again. I can’t risk you fucking things up. That’s _our_ job.” 

 

###

 

Taako counts a month, carefully picking up the ring every now and then only to put it away. He worries that someone more clever than Magnus and Merle could see him with it and begin asking questions. When he stresses about Grand Relics or the ring sitting in his pocket, he bakes. No one knows what to make of the new smells lingering in the kitchen, the pastries covering the counter, the piles on ingredients overflowing from the pantry. 

No one is allowed to eat the food, though they try. Any time someone asks, Taako outright refuses and offers no explanation. He catches Angus holding a croissant once and smacks it out of his hand, grumbling the whole time that he told Angus not to eat anything he bakes. The magic lessons act as an apology for this incident. 

The Director, in spite of being the most brilliant human Taako’s ever met, seems to be unaware that Brian isn’t dead. She never spoke of him after their initial meeting, and has never asked any questions that imply she harbors suspicion. 

So, when a month has passed, Taako leaves his room without anyone batting an eye. No one even asks where he’s going. Wearing a fancy cloak and fine boots, Taako struts through the moon base, acting like he isn’t about to go and meet with someone just about everyone on the base knows and thinks is dead. 

Avi doesn’t hesitate as Taako requests a canon to Neverwinter. Sure, everyone knows about Merle’s solo trips to the world below, but Taako’s never been on one, and he expected it to be a bigger deal. 

But, there he is, standing under a streetlamp in Neverwinter— no Regulators chasing him down.He taps the umbrastaff against the cobblestones and waits, observing the people nearby. No one seems to think twice about Taako standing by himself, and everyone hurries quickly without pausing to look at him.

And then, he sees Brian. He walks through the crowd with grace that almost matches Taako’s own. Taako’s heart skips briefly at the sight of the Drow in evening lighting, and he internally curses. They make eye contact, and Brian approaches, smiling. He looks more handsome than Taako’s seen before— he was made to appear around dusk, the purple sky complementing his skin, the last signs of sunlight making his eyes glow. He is dressed as finely as Taako, and that is not an easy feat to accomplish. 

“I admit, I didn’t think you would be here,” Brian says in lieu of a greeting. Taako grins and swings the umbrastaff to rest on his shoulder.

“As if I’d miss a chance for you to see what I look like when I’m not in danger,” Taako says, and Brian offers his arm. “A bit old school, are we?”

“Anything for my lovely date,” Brian says, and Taako’s eyebrows shoot up.

“This isn’t a date,” Taako says quickly. Brian only smirks and drops his arm.

“What is it, then?” he asks, and Taako isn’t sure how to reply, so he doesn’t. In the month he’s had to think about this night, he hadn’t considered that it could be a _date_. The fact had simply slipped his mind. He kept referring to this as a meeting, not a date. And now, standing under a lamppost in the last evening light, Taako rapidly realizes that _oh fuck he’s on a date with Magic Brian_. 

“I thought a walk in the Glass Gardens would be nice. There, we will talk, yes?” Brian says, leading the way. Taako follows behind, trying to find a way to say this isn’t a date.

He refuses to admit it, even when he can only reach that conclusion.

They walk to the Gardens in silence, occasionally pointing out how lovely Neverwinter looks this time of year— which, to the surrounding lands, is winter. 

The Glass Gardens are at the center of town, and when they walk in, Taako notices that it is mostly empty this time of night, save for a handful of couples admiring the delicate glass sculptures. Taako had never visited Neverwinter, but he had heard people speak of the Gardens, and standing in under the dome, Taako knows that they deserved every praise they were sung. The air is instantly colder, made to simulate a mild winter day. Taako breathes deeply and smiles.

“Shall we?” Brian asks, and he and Taako begin on the path.

“I have a few questions,” Taako says as they stop to admire the first sculpture. 

“Ask away, darling,” Brian says. Even though he’s called Taako ‘darling’ half a dozen times, Taako feels something odd settle in his stomach. 

“How do you keep knowing where to find us?” Taako asks.

“I am afraid I cannot reveal that. Someone has made me promise to keep it a secret for a while longer,” Brian says, craning his neck to examine the sculpture from a different angle. He’s clearly taller than the sculpture itself, and Taako doesn’t have the patience to stand still while Brian looks at it, especially with all of that craning exposing so much of his neck. Taako moves on down the path.

“That’s a shame,” Taako sighs, gently touching a glass flower above his head. 

“Don’t you like the, ah, suspense? It will be like a surprise, yes?” Brian says, standing next to Taako. 

“I guess. Next question: _why_ do you keep showing up?” Taako says, walking ahead, aware of Brian’s eyes on his back.

“Do you mind it?” Brian asks.

“Not at all, my man. I just want to know your ulterior motives,” Taako says, looking over his shoulder, feeling his braid swing in a way he’s been told is enchanting. He catches the shine in Brian’s eyes as they follow the braid’s arc through across Taako’s back.

“You’re interesting. I like to see you. What else is there?” Brian says. Taako turns around to fully face him.

“Uh, the Grand Relics? The limitless power? Ringing any bells?” Taako asks, counting off on his fingers. 

“I have no interest in them. I was only drawn to the Gauntlet, and now that it is gone, poof! Nothing,” Brian says. 

“So, you’re really just there…” Taako says.

“For you,” Brian finishes, and he holds Taako’s gaze. Brian stands closer to Taako than anticipated, and Taako becomes acutely aware of it. He’s close enough for Taako to lean forward and kiss.

Over the course his adventures, Taako has come to accept that maybe he doesn’t make the smartest decisions, but really, he can’t bring himself to care. Looting a corpse with people around? Whatever. Harassing a potentially murderous train engineer? Moment of weakness. Robbing a bank? Well….

But the second that the idea of kissing Brian crosses his mind, Taako knows that, without a doubt, it is the _worst_ idea he has ever had. Not because of who Brian is— because a handsome Drow with one hell of an accent is very much the opposite of a problem— but because of every aspect of the situation they’re in. Because he can’t get involved with someone who shouldn’t even be alive. Because even though he knows that Brian isn’t evil, that isn’t enough to convince the Director not to kill him on sight. Because he doesn’t want to be standing in Neverwinter— he wants to be back on the moon base, sneaking Brian into his room to spend the night together, but he can’t let Brian anywhere near to Bureau for their own safeties. 

And Taako hates it. Taako hates himself for having to take a step back and continue walking through the gardens. 

They walk for another hour or two, stopping to admire every sculpture and chatting about their travels and their lives before the Bureau, occasionally switching languages to speak in Elvish. As soon as he hears Brian speak Elvish, Taako realizes how long it had been since he spoke with a native speaker.

When they reach the middle of the Gardens, they end up sitting on the benches positioned to look at the moons. Taako tells himself to leave a reasonable amount of room between himself and Brian when they sit, but he ignores this and sits with their knees touching. The silence between them is heavy, and Taako desperately searches for a way to end it. He considers several comments about the stars, the sculptures, the Bureau, the how nice Brian looks, how nice _he_ looks; but every time he tries to speak, he loses his nerve and instead sits in silence. This goes on for several minutes, until finally Taako puts his hands into his pockets and feels a ring.

“Oh! I believe this is yours,” Taako says, pulling the ring out of his pocket. Brian looks at it and sighs. 

“Ah, yes. I forgot about this,” Brian says. “You can keep it if you’d like.”

“What’s the story with it? Some ancient charm, cursed artifact, family heirloom?” Taako asks, rolling the ring between his fingers. Brian smiles sadly.

“It was my engagement ring,” Brian says. “I just don’t need it anymore.” Taako stops playing with the ring and awkwardly looks at Brian.

“What happened?” Taako asks, and the image of Phandalin in ruins comes to mind. He imagines some shopkeep going about his day, a black engagement band on his finger, when the Phoenix Fire Gauntlet loses control and kills everyone. 

“Oh, well, he had never met the Voidfish, and so he was never, ah, inoculated. And I’m sure the Director already fed my information to the Fish, so… my fiancé just doesn’t remember me,” Brian says, oddly calm. Taako tilts his head to look at Brian in confusion.

“You’re taking this pretty well,” Taako remarks, and Brian waves a hand.

“We were having issues long before Wave Echo Cave, darling. He never knew what I did for a living, then I left the Bureau and was on the run for several months. It was coming to an end anyways,” Brian says. 

“So you gave me the ring?” Taako asks, raising an eyebrow. 

“It had the dramatic flair I like,” Brian says, grinning. Taako nods and folds the ring into Brian’s hand.

“I appreciate it, but I’d prefer you get me my own ring instead,” Taako says, before he can think it through. Surprisingly, Taako doesn’t want to take back his words, especially when he watches Brian’s grin grow wider and Taako’s heart races. 

“It’s late. I think it’s time we leave,” Brian says, resting his hand on Taako’s knee. 

As far as Taako can tell, there’s no one else in the Gardens this late, and the thought of kissing Brian crosses his mind again. He puts his hand over Brian’s and looks at him. A million reasons why this is a bad idea rush through Taako’s head, but for once he _isn’t_ good out here, and he takes a page from Magnus’s book and rushes in instead. 

His lips are just a breath away from Brian when the Drow brings his hand to Taako’s chest and stops him. Taako makes a confused noise but still leans back. Brian takes Taako’s hand and still smiles as he stands.

“Another time, my love. It will be worth the wait,” Brian promises, bending down to kiss Taako’s hand. When Brian’s lips meet Taako’s skin, Taako can’t help but blush and feel his stomach twist into knots. 

Brian meets Taako’s gaze, winks, and then disappears into the gardens. Taako sits in silence on the bench for a moment before burying his face in hands and moaning, “Oh, _fuck_.”

 

###

 

 

Taako doesn’t see or hear from Brian in the weeks that follow, though he thinks of him constantly and wishes they could communicate. He refuses to believe that this means he has feelings for Brian. He denies the idea at every possible thought, no matter how romantic.

The fifth time Taako meets Brian, it is Candlenights, and Taako’s trying to save the world.

As the boys explore Lucas’s lab, they hear footsteps approaching from the end of a long, dark hallway. Merle, still on guard and angry after having his arm removed, instantly notices and forces Magnus and Taako to stand still.

“I don’t know what’s coming our way, but God just lied to me and I’m not taking any chances,” Merle says. Magnus pulls out his battle axe and stands ready while Taako points the umbrastaff down the hallway, ready for anything at this point. 

Instead of a monster or a crystal mass, another humanoid wearing a Null Suit approaches, casually strolling. Before Taako can even properly see the figure, he knows it’s Brian. 

“Hello, hello. Welcome to my Crystal Kingdom,” Brian says, holding out his hands. Taako freezes, umbrella outstretched, and a stressed noise escapes his mouth. Not here. Not now.

“No fucking way,” Magnus says, lowering his axe slightly. 

“Call me crazy, but is that Magic Fucking Brian?” Merle asks.

Taako wishes he were crystallized, especially when Brian enters the nearby light and blows Taako a kiss. 

“How lovely to see all of you again! And on Candlelights!” Brian says, clapping his hands together. “I wish we could take a picture to remember this!”

“You’re supposed to be dead,” Magnus says. He makes eye contact with Taako, who tries to look as confused as Magnus. He must not have done it perfectly, because Magnus furrows his brows in a way that plainly tells Taako they’re going to talk about this later. 

“We _heard_ you die,” Merle insists. “After you faked being my cousin.” 

“Yes, yes. We all had a good time,” Brian said. Taako notices that his Brian’s Null suit has a spider emblazoned on the front and is made of black materials, much different from the red tones the boys are wearing. Quickly, Taako deduces that it must be custom made. Like he had it made in the event of this situation, by someone who knows the technology.

“Taako, dear, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Brian says, teasing. The eerie glow from the crystals makes Brian look beautiful, and Taako remembers the almost kiss in the Glass Gardens in full force. But, just as quickly, his brain works to draw conclusions about how long Brian’s been in the lab. Taako thinks that if the Null suit is custom, and Brian’s been in the lab for a while, he must be working for Lucas. Or with Lucas. Something.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to be rude. Just trying to figure out what the hell you’re doing here,” Taako says, his face screaming _WHAT THE FUCK DUDE?!_

“Sadly, I’ve been stuck in this lab and need help getting out. Or, I can help stop this. I don’t really care which one we do,” Brian says. 

Taako has more questions, but he does feel that the imminent threat of the world turning to crystal takes precedence over the drama that could arise from asking the questions. 

And so, they save the world. They cheat death. They learn about planes of existence and how Lucas is a little shit. Brian brushes his hand against Taako’s at every possible moment, and Taako can feel the movement on his Null suit. He wants to speak to him so badly, to get a moment alone with him, but there are more important things to deal with.

Lucretia is told that Lucas is dead. Merle is about to report about everyone else on the ship, but when he turns his head to Taako and looks at the short distance between him and Brian, he fails to mention the Renegade Seeker. For this, Taako decides he owes Merle a huge debt. 

“I guess I should get going before the Director tears this place apart,” Brian says, removing the helmet of his Null suit and shaking out his hair. Taako tries not to stare too hard.

“We didn’t tell her you were here because you helped us. But if you ever show up again, we can’t make any promises,” Magnus says, a warning tone backing his words. Brian just smiles and nods. 

“I think I saw some exit pods back down the hall. I’ll come with and make sure you’re launched safely,” Taako says, and rests his hand on the small of Brian’s back to steer him to the hall. He passes Merle and Magnus, and the former lets out a pointed cough. When Taako turns his head, the duo are making kissing noises and puckering their lips. He wonders if it would be an easier option to launch himself with Brian to avoid talking his way out of whatever Merle and Magnus were waiting to discuss. 

Taako and Brian walk in silence down the hall, to the room housing the now de-crystallized pods. Taako removes his helmet as Brian closes the door behind them.

“I get showing up during our missions. I get inviting me down to Neverwinter. But this? Why the fuck are you here?” Taako asks, glaring at Brian. 

“I’ve been, ah, helping Lucas for a while,” Brian says, touching the tips of his fingers together. “I helped him find the Stone, he hides me from the Director and launches me out of a canon.”

“Have you been following me this whole time just to find the Stone?” Taako asks. He knows it’s stupid to ask, but he won’t be able to put the thought out of his mind unless he does. And even if Brian has been using Taako as a means to find the Relic, so what? Why would it upset Taako?

He refuses to answer that thought. 

“Of course not. I found the stone before Goldcliff, and definitely before our date,” Brian says.

“Not a date,” Taako insists, quickly. Brian smiles slightly and walks toward Taako. 

“If you insist. But, I promise you, I wasn’t using you. I just like you,” Brian says, laying one hand on the side of Taako’s face, and Taako can’t help but lean into it.

“I’m not sure I entirely trust you,” Taako says. “Although, I can trust the fact that you like me. Who wouldn’t?” 

Brian laughs, and Taako thinks again to the Glass Gardens and Brian’s promise. _It will be worth the wait_. 

Near death experiences have a way with making Taako done with waiting. 

This time, when Taako leans in to kiss Brian, there’s no hand on his chest to stop him. Instead, Brian pulls him forward until their lips meet. 

To say Taako is out of practice would be a lie, but it has been a while since he kissed someone with so much _want_ embedded between kisses. Every movement is a question asking for more. Every breath is an answer saying _yes_. 

Taako rests his hands on Brian’s shoulders as the hand Brian had on Taako’s cheek drifts to rest in his hair. Vaguely, Taako wonders how many times he’s imagined this, how long he’s been pretending like this isn’t what he’s wanted since they met in Wave Echo Cave. 

The kiss deepens, and Brian steers Taako backwards until he’s leaning against an idle exit pod. In the back of his mind, Taako knows that this can’t go on for much longer. He has to go back to the base before any questions are raised. But he’ll be _damned_ if he doesn’t enjoy every possible second of kissing Brian. 

When they break apart, Taako looks at Brian through half-lidded eyes. He’s met with the red gaze of Drow eyes, and the jolt running down his spine is no longer instinctive fear. 

“Lovely,” Brian murmurs. Taako smiles and rolls his eyes. 

“You have no idea,” Taako replies, and Brian’s eyes seem to shift into a deeper red. Taako vow to himself to see how deep he can make those eyes turn. 

 

###

 

Magnus and Merle, much to their credit, only mention Brian once. A few days after Candlenights, when Taako is calmly making stir-fry in their kitchen. As he adds in green peppers, Merle coughs.

“So,” he says, after getting Taako’s attention. “Did you know Magic Brian was alive?” 

“Yeah. He’s shown up on a few of our missions,” Taako says, keeping his answer neutral. He focuses on dinner, not turning around. 

“Did you… did you talk to him?” Magnus asks, sounding more cautious than Taako has ever heard.

“How could I not? Neither of us can shut the fuck up,” Taako says. He throws the meat back into the pan and adds more oil. 

“Taako, we don’t want to pry,” Merle says, knocking his wooden hand against the counter. 

“Of course not,” Taako says.

“But, we just wanna know something,” Magnus says. Taako already knows where this is going, and he’s already getting a headache. He adds in the sauce and tosses the ingredients in the pan before serving them between three plates. With a wave of his hand, he sends two plates to the counter for Magnus and Merle. Taako picks up his plate and turns. 

“Are you _with_ Magic Brian?” Merle says.

“That,” Taako replies, standing on the opposite side of the counter and setting his plate down, “is none of your fucking business.” 

He catches the sly look between his companions, but they drop the subject, and never bring it up again.

They go to Refuge. They die several times over. They refuse a chance to change the past. 

Taako goes and sees Brian. He tells him all of this. 

Over the next few months, Taako and Brian see each other as much as they can. They meet in Neverwinter for food and drinks, venture to the sea and enjoy sunsets, travel to famous ruins in the dead of night and spend time under the stars sharing wine and stories. Taako refuses to admit that these are dates, that he feels something for Brian. Even when they’re alone together in a distant city in the nicest rooms inns can offer, Taako doesn’t think it. He pushes any thoughts relating to his feelings so far out of his mind that they don’t return until later, when he watches Brian across their bed, sleeping soundly, bathed in moonlight. 

He has a harder time lying about his feelings during those moments. 

They’re together the night before Taako is sent out to Wonderland. Brian slips a Stone of Farspeech into Taako’s cloak while he re-braids his hair the next morning. Taako doesn’t notice until he’s in Wonderland and he feels it. It ignites a new desire to make it out of Wonderland alive. 

And they do. Though badly scarred. Magnus is a mannequin, Merle is missing an eye, and Taako…. Well, Taako doesn’t know what to make of what he gave up. He hasn’t seen himself. But judging by the looks on Merle and Magnus’s faces, it would be something to behold. He’ll deal with it later, when a Red Cloak isn’t leading the boys through the wilderness. Taako keeps his second Stone hidden, making sure the Red Cloak wouldn’t insist he destroy it, too. 

The Red Cloak is Barry Bluejeans. He helps them lead a heist on the Moon Base. They find Magnus a body. 

Taako takes a moment to step away and pull out Brian’s Stone of Farspeech. 

“Brian?” he whispers into the stone.

“Darling!” Brian’s voice roars out of the stone. Taako quickly looks over his shoulder to see if anyone’s noticed, and he catches Merle waggling his eyebrows. 

“I couldn’t reach this whole time! Are you okay?” Brian asks, and in spite of the stress, the word _boyfriend_ flashes across Taako’s mind. He decides to deal with _that_ later, too. 

“I’m, uh, fine. Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” Taako says, rubbing his eyes. He can feel the telltale silk of a glamour when he touches his face. “Listen, I called because something major is happening on at the Bureau right now.” 

“Major? Should I make an appearance?” Brian asks, and Taako can hear the sound of clothes rustling in the background. 

“I think that’ll be a good idea. We might need some backup,” Taako says.

“Oh, it’s perfect date night!” Brian says, and Taako, remarkably, laughs. 

“Be safe,” Taako says, and he can practically see Brian’s smile on the other side of the Stone.

“I should be saying that to you,” Brian says. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, dear.” 

When Taako turns around and rapidly shoves the stone into his pocket, Merle is grinning, and Magnus has his mannequin arms crossed. Taako can fill in the gap to imagine that Magnus is also making a smug face. 

“Don’t. We have more important shit to deal with,” Taako says, and Magnus throws up his mannequin hands. 

When Taako remembers a century’s worth of stolen memories, when he remembers Lup, when he learns of how much danger is approaching— he realizes what he needs to do. 

Brian rushes into the room just as Taako raises the umbrastaff over his knee. He’s back in his full Black Spider robes, and when he enters, Lucretia shouts and Magnus and Merle cheer. 

Taako doesn’t hesitate for a second. He breaks the umbrastaff over his knee, and an inferno erupts. Everyone is thrown backwards, and Taako cracks his head against the floor. Quickly, as a red-cloaked figure forms in the middle of the room, Brian scrambles to Taako and helps him into a sitting position. 

And Taako watches as Lup appears before him, more radiant than ever. His heart is hammering hard enough to burst out of his chest, and Taako looks at his sister for the first time in over a decade. 

“You’re dating _MAGIC BRIAN_?!” is the first thing out of Lup’s mouth. Next to Taako, Brian’s face screws up like he’s trying not to laugh. Everyone else in the room is blinking Lup’s light away, craning their necks to look at her clearly. 

Taako has spent so much time lying to himself in one way or another, but he could never, _never_ lie to Lup.

“Yeah. Yeah, I am,” Taako admits. The world might be ending around them, but Brian still smiles sweetly at Taako and puts his hand over Taako’s. 

“That wasn’t a question! I _know_ you two are dating! I can hear and see from inside the umbrastaff. I just can’t _fucking_ believe you managed to date someone so out of your league!” Lup yells. 

And Taako puts his face in his hands as his boyfriend laughs and holds out his free hand to high-five Lup. 

**Author's Note:**

> I emerge again to present y'all with a new fic, and this time it's for a rarepair! I wanted to read a fic for this ship and there were none, so I decided to write the fanfiction I wished to read in the world.   
>  As always, a huge thank you to my beta and best friend Kat. She's the one who dragged me into TAZ in the first place and watched all of my reactions (including my crying when Brian came back in Crystal Kingdom). She's always there to read my fics and listen to me plan out everything.  
>  I hope you all like this (and I hope you now like this dumb ship).


End file.
